In a surprising development that would mark a massive turnaround in a dying player market, the Dodgers appear to be nearing a long-term extension with a newly acquired star. Mookie Betts. Lou Merloni of WEEI.com hears that the parties are about to reach an agreement, even as Betts prepares to put on the Dodger Blue for the first time tomorrow. Joel Sherman tweets that the conversations are really “quite real”.
If completed, the contract would cover a ten-year term and guarantee Betts somewhere close to $ 350MM to $ 400MM, according to the report. It seems that it would come close, if it does not end, the ten years, $ 360MM Mike Trout pact that currently stands as the largest MLB contract.
The Dodgers paid a significant price in the prospects and earned a lot of salary (for both Betts and Betts). David Price) to ensure only one season for the 27-year-old. It always seemed that the team had designs for a longer relationship, although it was not entirely clear that the votes would be exchanged before Betts hit the open market.
Until the paperwork is complete, Betts stands as the obvious best talent in the 2020-21 free agent class. As MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes explained in his pre-pandemic power ranking, Betts, who is represented by VC Sports Group, appeared to be positioned to “reasonably seek a ten-year term with an annual average value in the $ 36-40MM range. “
Betts would have represented one of the most interesting free-agent cases ever. Recent market changes and upcoming collective bargaining provided a fascinating backdrop for the offering of such a young and high-quality player. And then the coronavirus appeared, superimposing great uncertainty on the situation.
It appears that both the Dodgers and Betts saw a way to limit risk by reaching a deal now. They certainly have had time to get to know each other under difficult circumstances in recent months, even if Betts has yet to record any stats for the famous ball club.
